Iberis plant named ‘Pink Ice’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Iberis , ‘Pink Ice’, characterized by its densely branched, compact plant habit, its late bloom period, its foliage that is dark green and glossy, its flowers that emerge from dark pink flower buds, open pale pink, and become darker pink as they mature and are consistent in size and color.

Botanical classification: Iberis hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Pink Ice’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Iberis plant, botanically of hybrid origin and known as Iberis ‘Pink Ice’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Pink Ice’. The new cultivar represents a new cultivar of Iberis, an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

‘Pink Ice’ was discovered by the Inventor in Hereford, United Kingdom in April 2009 in a trial bed containing the Inventor's collection of both unnamed and named varieties of Iberis. The parentage is not known, however it is likely that ‘Pink Ice’ is a hybrid between Iberis sempervirens, Iberis gibraltarica, or Iberis aurosica based on the characteristics of ‘Pink Ice’ and their proximity to the location where ‘Pink Ice’ was discovered.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by the Inventor via stem cuttings in June 2009 in Hereford, Herefordshire, United Kingdom. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Pink Ice’ as a unique cultivar of Iberis.

-   -   1. ‘Pink Ice’ exhibits, densely branched, compact plant habit.     -   2. ‘Pink Ice’ blooms later in the season than cultivars of         Iberis sempervirens known to the Inventor.     -   3. ‘Pink Ice’ exhibits foliage that is dark green and glossy.     -   4. ‘Pink Ice’ exhibits flowers that emerge from dark pink flower         buds, open pale pink, and become darker pink as they mature.     -   5. ‘Pink Ice’ exhibits flowers that are consistent in size and         color.         ‘Pink Ice’ can be compared to the most likely parent plants,         plants of, Iberis sempervirens, Iberis gibraltarica, and Iberis         aurosica in the Inventor's trial bed. Plants of Iberis         sempervirens differ from ‘Pink Ice’ in having a less densely         branched plant habit, in having white flowers, and in blooming         earlier. Plants of Iberis gibraltarica differ from ‘Pink Ice’ in         having flowers that are violet in color. Plants of Iberis         aurosica differ from ‘Pink Ice’ in being shorter in height and         in having flowers that are white in color and emerge from buds         that are lilac in color. The closest comparison cultivar is         Iberis aurosica ‘Sweetheart’ (not patented) which is similar to         ‘Pink Ice’ in having pink flowers. ‘Sweetheart’ differs from         ‘Pink Ice’ in being shorter in height, in being a seed strain,         and in having flowers that emerge pink and change to lilac in         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Iberis. The photographs were taken of a plant about 8 months in age as grown outdoors in a one-gallon container in Watsonville, Calif.

FIG. 1 provides a view of the plant habit of ‘Pink Ice’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of ‘Pink Ice’.

The color values cited in the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of the new Iberis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of a plant about 8 months in age of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in a 2-gallon container in Watsonville, Calif. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Early May to mid July in the United             Kingdom.         -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, densely branched and             compact.         -   Height and spread.—Matures to about 30 cm in height and             about 20 cm in width.         -   Hardiness.—At least to 10° F. in the U.K.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance has been             observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous. -   Growth and propagation:     -   -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem strength.—Strong and held upright.         -   Shape.—Round with ridges.         -   Stem color.—Wood base; a blend of 161A and 165A, new stems;             ridges of 144A and 144B.         -   Stem size.—Lateral; an average of 2.5 mm in diameter and 20             cm in length secondary; an average of 2 mm in diameter and             15 cm in length, tertiary; an average of 2 mm in diameter             and 7 cm in length, all lengths including peduncles.         -   Stem surface.—Ridged and moderately pubescent.         -   Branching habit.—Numerous branches emerge from woody base,             an average of 50 lateral branches, 7 secondary branches per             lateral branch, 0 to 2 tertiary branches per secondary             branch in a 2-gallon container. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf shape.—Spatulate.         -   Leaf base.—Blunt, clasping to stem.         -   Leaf apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Leaf margin.—Entire, sparsely pubescent.         -   Leaf venation.—Not discernable.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Whorled.         -   Leaf surface.—Glandular and glossy on upper and lower             surfaces.         -   Leaf color.—Newly emerged and mature upper surface; 137A,             newly emerged and mature lower surface; 137B.         -   Leaf aspect.—Slightly recurved.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 2.2 cm in length and 5 mm in width.         -   Foliage fragrance.—None. -   Flower description: -   General description:     -   -   Type.—Rounded raceme.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 3 weeks on the plant.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly pungent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—One per terminal, secondary and             tertiary stems, about 500 in a 2-gallon container.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 3 cm in diameter and 1.5             cm in depth.         -   Flower type.—Polysymetric with 2 smaller adaxial petals and             2 larger abaxial petals.         -   Flower size.—About 9 mm in diameter and 6 mm in depth.         -   Flower number.—Average of 26 per corymbs.         -   Flower buds.—About 3 mm in height and diameter, globose in             shape, color 60 C to 60D in color with apex NN155D and sepal             portion 144B.         -   Peduncle.—Primary an average of 4 cm in length and 2.5 mm in             diameter with laterals an average of 4.5 cm in length and 2             mm in width, color; ridges of 144A and 144B, surface is             moderately pubescent.         -   Pedicels.—An average of 5 mm in length and 1 mm in diameter,             144B in color, surface is moderately pubescent.         -   Petals.—4, 2 adaxial and 2 abaxial, adaxial; limb strongly             reflexed, limb is orbicular in shape, glabrous surface,             rounded apex, margins entire, limb is about 4 mm in width             and length, claw is about 2 mm in length and 0.5 mm in width             with truncate base, color upper and lower surfaces: newly             opened flower; NN155D, color on fully open flower; a blend             of 76C, 84C and NN155D, abaxial; limb held outward, rotund             in shape, glabrous surface, rounded apex, margins entire,             limb is about 6 mm in width and 5 mm in length, claw is             about 2.5 mm in length and 1 mm in width with truncate base,             color upper and lower surfaces: newly opened flower; NN155D,             color on fully open flower; a blend of 76C, 84C and NN155D.         -   Calyx.—Open campanulate in form, 3 mm in height and 4 mm in             width.         -   Sepals.—4, un-fused, oblong in shape, an average of 3 mm in             length and 1.5 mm in width, acute apex, truncate base,             glabrous on outer and inner surfaces, color of outer and             inner surface; margins N155D, centers 144B. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, style; 144B in color, crystalline in             appearance, about 6 mm in length and <1 mm in width, stigma;             minute, globose, 144A in color, ovary; superior, rounded             oblong in shape with 2 pointed apex and style running             through it, 2.5 mm in length and 2 mm width, 144C in color.         -   Androcoecium.—Stamens; 4, un-fused, filament; N145D in             color, about 5 mm in length, crystalline in appearance,             anther; 161B in color, dorsifixed, about 1.5 mm in length             and 1 mm in width, pollen; moderate in quantity and 162A in             color.         -   Fruit and seed.—Not observed under the conditions tested. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Iberis plant named ‘Pink Ice’ as herein illustrated and described. 